Surprise Fireworks for Mother’s Day
Attention, significant others of mothers: Making mom to breakfast in bed is a thoughtful gesture for Mother’s Day. So is sending her off for a day at the spa. While both of these tried-and-true treats are thoughtful, they can be expected as well. This year, give mom a surprise on Mother’s Day that she’ll never forget – a backyard firework extravaganza! It’s easier than it sounds to pull off a pyrotechnic shoe and fun for the kids, too! After a quiet morning, most moms want to have a “blast” with some family fun anyway.
Step One: At least one week before Mother’s Day (on May 12th this year), order an array of fireworks for mom’s show. Since it’s not near the 4th of July or New Year’s Eve, it can often be hard to find fireworks during the month of May. However, AllSparkFireworks.com conveniently sells fireworks and supplies online 365 days a year. You can order anytime of the day or night and your purchases will be shipped straight to your doorstep.
Step Two: Decide which fireworks mom will enjoy the most, or get a firework assortment pack with a little of each variety. If purchasing separately, make sure to order red or pink artillery shells which burst high overhead and have sparks that look like rose petals falling down to the ground. Many moms also like firework fountains which spew out long displays of colorful sparks upward from the ground level.
Step Three: Because the kids will want to be involved, also order several packs of firework sparklers or smaller firework novelties like party poppers. Remember: even though these novelty fireworks are less intense, children need adult supervision when using them.
Step Four: When the fireworks arrive from AllSparkFireworks.com, hide from mom in a dark, cool and dry place. Do not keep in your car trunk, the attic, or anywhere near a water heater or other potential safety hazard.
Step Four: On Mother’s Day evening, after the sun sets, tell mom you’d like everyone to relax on the back yard patio or some other place that is clear of debris and personal property that could be harmed by fireworks. Make sure her chair is facing the horizon over which the pyrotechnics will break.
Firework Ideas for Landmark Birthdays
At AllSpark Fireworks, we believe landmark birthdays are a big deal and therefore exciting events should be planned. By celebrating the milestone with fireworks it some sort of unique way, you can make a long-lasting memory that will be cherished much, much more than a generic greeting card. Check out these fun ideas for using fireworks for special birthdays for your family, friends and colleagues.
10th birthday: At ten years old, a child is probably ready to handle some novelty fireworks with adult supervision. Confetti poppers are fun for all the kids to use; simply pull the string and the top pops off and confetti streamers will fly across the room to the delight of everyone.
16th birthday: Celebrate a “sweet sixteen” with pink sparklers a top the birthday girl’s cake. Just make sure that you are using the sparklers outside, we’ve heard terrible stories about sparklers burning pock marks into wood and linoleum floors. Sixteen year old boys will also like sparklers, just not in pink!
21st birthday: This is an important birthday for young adults. While officially the age of majority at 18 years, most states allow for drinking and all adult privileges at this age. Turning 21 is like an official welcome into adulthood and nothing makes the night a bigger grown-up blast than by giving the honoree a “21 gun salute.” Try using Roman candles that have a nice, loud report to shoot off into the sky, one shot for each year.
30th birthday and each decade beyond: After a certain number of years, the amount of fireworks could create a safety hazard (half-kidding, half serious)! Instead, create awesome firework photography that the birthday man or woman can frame and keep forever. Set a camera with a long-shutter speed and have the honoree hold two long-lasting sparklers. On the count of three, the sparklers should be waived around to create the appropriate numbers. For example, a three with the right hand and a zero with the left hand. It takes a bit of coordination and you might need to snap a couple photos so have plenty of sparklers on hand!
100th birthday: A century has gone by; celebrate the centenarian with a memorable night. The 100-shot Saturn Missile shoots off one hundred separate shots up into the sky that let go with a whistle on the way up.
Santa’s Firework List for Good Boys and Girls
What do good (and bad) boys and girls want for the holidays? Well, a stocking filled with fireworks if you’re asking us! Deck the halls and make everyone in the family jolly during the Christmas and winter season by ordering enough loot from AllSpark Fireworks to last you well past the New Year. When you order from AllSparkFireworks.com, you’ll enjoy a wide selection of fireworks from little novelties to huge artillery shells. Plus, order any time of the day and night and enjoy the convenience of having your firework items delivered straight to your door – if you’d let us slide down the chimney we would! Here are some great pyrotechnic presents to put on your list:
Roll of 4,000 Firecrackers: You can never have too many firecrackers and this super-sized roll by World Class will keep you making mischief well into 2012.
The Excalibur: If you’re looking for a firework present that’s going to impress, this bad boy is at the top of the top. A legend in its own right, this pyrotechnic item comes with a deluxe HDPE mortar tube and 24 shells that break 250 feet into the sky, over 200 feet wide. You’ll have the best Christmas “lights” on the block!
Can of Smoke: Create a foggy effect, maybe for Santa to make his grand entrance or for an Ebineezer Scrooge ghost of Christmas past type recreation. This large canister of smoke effects lasts an impressive three minutes and spews out a hazy curtain of smoke that is sure to please.
Firework Novelties: The little guys and girls will want to get in on the holiday firework action. Surprise them with pyro novelty fireworks at are perfect for stocking stuffers such as Glow Worms, Speed Racers and packs of sparklers.
Backyard Firework Blowout — All Fun!
A home movie filled with sparklers, roman candles and flashing things, it might not be an Academy Award winner, but the cinematography and special effects are sure to get any guy fired up for fun. Check out this video of some pyro fans experimenting with their purchases down from the firework stand. It’s a backyard blowout – literally – with lots of laughing at the results. Now you tongue-cluckers may notice that not every safety precaution is being followed -- like holding Roman candles in the hand. At All Spark Fireworks, we always, always recommend following the safety precautions listed on the back of a specific firework – if no safety information is available, some rules of thumb are to never use damaged fireworks, never hold in your hand, always keep water nearby for extinguishing, never use indoors, and make sure area is cleared and free of debris. While safety is obviously not the first concern of these kids, we are at least glad to see they are setting the fireworks off in an empty cleared flower bed. If you want to get in on the action, check out our wide selection of sparklers, Roman Candles and fun novelty fireworks.
Picasso Pyro Art
I love this photo I found on Flicker of pure sparkler art awesomeness. Poster by a user named ‘Diliz,’ this black and white photograph was taken with a Nikon D90. As you can see, someone very gifted spatially has waved sparklers around in the dark to create an abstract art looking face – Picasso would be proud!
Really, this is quite easy to do at home, well maybe not easy to get a perfect result, but fun nonetheless in the trying! What you do is get a sparkler (remember, longer ones stay lit longer) and twist, twirl and wave it around into the design of your choice or just randomly. You can even do a sparkler in each hand, which is probably what is going on in Diliz’s picture. Have a friend snap a photo using one of the longest light exposures available on the camera; this captures as much light as possible while you are waving it around. Use a digital camera to give you plenty of opportunity for experiment, just delete and redo if you don’t like. And, remember to have plenty of sparklers on hand! Sparklers come in many lengths, 10-inch to 2-foot, and an array of festive colors -- some even change color as they burn down. Remember to have a bucket of water nearby to put out your sparklers and always do this outdoors in a cleared area. Even though this photo seems to be shot indoors on a bed (!), it's really not safe! But we love the picture!
Check Out This ‘Electric’ Car
Forget about green cars that you have to plug in; crafty firework enthusiasts have a new way to make a not-so-subtle statement. – sparklers! While adding hundreds of sparklers to your ride won’t really make it more eco-friendly, it certainly does make a great photo opportunity. This particular Volkswagen Beetle was decked out artistically for the 4th of July with lots of sparklers that, when lit, ignited in a rush of wonderful light. If you’re going to try this yourself, follow all the safety precautions – and especially don’t actually have the car running or have gas in the tank. Remember that the longer the sparkler is in length, the longer it will burn. For example, 10 inch sparklers will burn for approximately 45 seconds, 20-inch sparklers for approximately 2 minutes and 36-inch sparklers for about 4 minutes. For a sparkler art display, you’ll probably want to stick with the longest possible stick to maximize the enjoyment. Plus, you’ll have to remember that it will take a small amount of time for the sparklers to light up each other placed end to end. For great photography, set your shutter on a slower speed to let in more light on the exposure. Check out All Spark Fireworks for an amazing selection of sparklers for your ‘electric car’ – pick from gold, silver, red, green and other festive colors.
Novelty Fireworks for Christmas Stockings
If you are still thinking of ideas to stuff the stockings this holiday season, novelty fireworks are an unexpected yet oh-so-fun choice. Just imagine the look of excitement as your pint-sized pyrotechnicians run down the stairs on Christmas morning to find the loot that Santa left. Hands down, novelty fireworks are so much cooler than some of those traditional stocking stuffers like a pair of socks or piece of fruit! Here are a few fun choices that are good for the kids (with your supervision, of course):
Party Poppers: You can deck the halls with flying confetti with these little novelty fireworks. Party poppers are the go-to choice for all types of celebrations, including Christmas, and delight the user and those nearby with a special surprise – when you pull the string, the plastic vessel bursts open and shoots out flying confetti that unfurls into long, skinny streamers in a variety of colors.
Super Snaps: One look at the box of Super Snaps and you’ll start feeling nostalgic for your own childhood – a great little gift to give if you want to feel like a kid again. These long-time favorites totally get the fun started; just throw this trick noisemaker on the ground to hear its signature ‘pop!’ So much fun for boys and girls!
Sparklers: These party pleasers are perfect for the Christmas stockings. Slip in a box of red, green or assorted sparkles and watch the holiday night light up. The kids will have fun waving these long sticks around, which are actually small fountains of fireworks; get fancy and “write” Merry Christmas in the air. Also, you might want to get extra for New Year’s Eve. Parents, please watch over your kids while they’re playing with sparklers.
Fireworks for Family Fun Month
The entire month of August has been named Family Fun Month, sorry to be reporting this a few weeks late. But, who needs an excuse to celebrate with your kids anyway, especially if you have a few fireworks on hand! Summer time is a great time to get outside and have some wholesome fun together and there’s no reason why a few well-chosen fireworks can’t be part of the party! By the way, August is also official Picnic Month, so you might as well bring along a cooler of sandwiches too! Here are a few of our favorite fireworks (not sandwiches!) to share with your family:
Party Poppers: These little guys are sure to make everyone in the family shout ‘whoo-hoo!’ When you pull the string on these firework novelties, the canister pops opens to shoot out strips of colorful confetti which unfurls about. Suitable for most in the family and fairly harmless, kids should still have supervision when using these cause there is a bit of black powder which pops them open.
Sparklers: These are traditional favorites with the family at the Fourth of July, backyard cookouts and other outdoor festivities. Available in quite a few colors such as red, green and blue but silver and gold still seem to be to most popular. Sparklers come made with either metal rods or bamboo sticks in the center. Metal sticks can get very hot and cause burns while bamboo rods are a bit safer but the ashes can drop off in chunks, so you need to provide supervision with both.
Fountains: A great showstopper for the family, many fountains are considered ‘Safe & Sane’ fireworks because they do not explode or travel. Instead, beautiful streams of sparks are shot upward from the firework and often incorporate noise effects. One our favorites and a top-seller at All Spark Fireworks is the Cuckoo fountain – we bet you go cuckoo for it too!
Fireworks With American Pride
Oh, say can you see . . . lots of fireworks in the sky?! The warm-weather months are usually filled with pyrotechnic shows from Memorial Day in May and Flag Day in June to the Fourth of July and Labor Day unofficially ending summer. There’s no better way to top off a backyard barbeque, entertain your friends and show your patriotic spirit.
A really awesome, proud-to-be-an-American firework is the Wave With Pride Fountain by Black Cat. Before even opening up the super-cool contoured box that resembles an American flag, we knew we’d be pledging our allegiance to this firework since it’s by Black Cat, a long-time leader and innovator in the pyrotechnic biz. After putting the punk to fuse, this mega-powered 500 gram fountain, the largest amount of pyro compounds legally allowed for consumers by law, shoots out a skyward parade of red, white and blue sparks. A lengthy display, that makes a good choice for the beginning, middle or end of your show, this firework features Red Titanium Rain, Silver Rain, Blue Titanium Rain, Red Stars, White Glittering, Blue Stars, Stage Titanium Whistles and Crackling Showers.
Another memorable patriotic firework is America’s Fountain, made by the tried-and-true firework pros at World Class Pyrotechnics. The packaging features a graphic of the iconic Capitol of The United States with colorful aerial bursts over head, but it’s the inside contents that will knock your socks off. Some of the striking effects include dark ruby red, bright white and brilliant blue spark that light up the sky with an indefatigable spirit. 
For the kids and the kids at heart, we always like to stock up on good, old-fashioned sparklers in red, white and blue. This gives everyone a chance to get into the mood of our majestic nation. Remember, to handle all fireworks (even the sparklers) with extreme care and follow all instructions and safety recommendations on the manufacturer’s label.
How To Photograph Sparkler Writing
Incorporating sparklers into the wedding reception is becoming super, ultra trendy. Just pick up any bridal magazine and you’ll see it chock full of great ideas for adding a little sizzle into the affair. This particular picture of bridesmaids spelling out the word “LOVE” in sparklers is just such a gosh-darn adorable firework idea for your wedding reception or special romantic evening.
But, the burning question is, how did they do it? Do tell, do tell, is it really possible to pull of this firework stunt without photo editing skills? Well, the answer is YES, and it is easier than you’d think (after you practice a bit). Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to creating a photograph that lights up your life and will be a cherished keepsake forever!
- Gather your photography supplies. You’ll need a camera with a long exposure mode, for example a camera with a manual exposure option that goes to 30 seconds. You’ll also want to use a tripod or have a flat surface to rest the camera on because keeping the shutter open for this long while holding in your had will create a shaky, blurry effect.
- Gather your firework supplies. You’ll need to do a few calculations for this. Figure out how many people (eg: letters in the word) you’ll need) and then pick a longer lasting sparkler for them to light when it’s time to ready-set-go. You’ll want to avoid the small 10” standard sparklers that only last for about 20-30 seconds. Go for the longer 20” or 36” sparklers that burn for several minutes because this will give you enough time to set up the shot and orchestrate the moves before the sparklers burn out.
- Set up shot. Set the camera far enough back so that you have enough space to write the word. Also, remember that you’ll be writing the letters backward in mirror image so that the final photo reads correctly. If you forget, you can always flip the image in Photoshop.
- Take the shot. Set an aperture of f/8 to start with and set shutter speed to 30 seconds. At the queue, the writer should begin writing in a controlled, smooth manner so the sparkle trail doesn’t go too crazy. Check the photo and make adjustments if necessary for another shot.
Other romantic message ideas:
Will you marry me?
M. & Mrs. Smith
Just Married
I Do
I Love You